Pakistan Names 30-Man World Cup Squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 30-man preliminary squad for the 2011 World Cup although the the squad for the upcoming six-match One-Day International series in New Zealand has still not been named.

Batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who missed out on selection for the tour to New Zealand due to injury, is included in the squad, as is Kamran Akmal, who has not played for Pakistan since the tour of England last year.

"We are satisfied that we have selected the best squad from amongst the available players," national selection chairman Mohsin Khan said.

"The Selection Committee met on multiple occasions and only then decided on the names. I request the whole nation to back the selected players who need all the encouragement to win the World Cup.

"There is a lot of speculation in the media regarding clearance or otherwise of players by Integrity Committee of PCB. The Integrity Committee has given its views on some players to the Selection Committee which has taken into consideration that input and has selected the 30 players for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011."

Furthermore, there is no place in the squad for all-rounder Shoaib Malik or leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and as expected, the three players set to undergo an ICC anti-corruption tribunal into allegations of spot-fixing - Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt - were also left out.

Uncapped members of the squad - which will be trimmed to 15 names by 19th January - are batsman Naved Yasin, wicket-keeper Salman Ahmed, spinners Yasir Shah and Zulfiqur Babar as well as quick bowlers Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema and Asad Ali.

Sarfraz Ahmed and Salman Ahmed are named as the reserve wicket-keepers in the squad, leaving no place for Kamran's brother Adnan, who has taken the gloves since the omission of Kamran and the demise of Zulqarnain Haider.

Pakistan play Kenya, Sri Lanka, Canada, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Australia once the tournament gets underway on 19th February.

The board added that the squad for the ODI series in New Zealand will be named next week.